Pumping device



NOV. 6, 1934. w PARKER I 1,979,342

PUMPING DEVICE Filed Nov. 15, 1930 Patented Nov. 6, 1934 PUMPING DEVICE Howard W. Parker, Park Ridge, 111., fassignor to The E. H. Wachs Company, Chicago,Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application November 15, 1930, Serial No. 495.876'

4 Claims. (01. 230 -108) The invention relates to pumping devices and has as its general aim the provision of a device of this character which is simple and sturdy in construction, embodies very few parts subject to operating wear and damage, is highly eflicient in operation, and is capable of adaptation for manifolduses.

An object of the invention is to provide a pumping devicein which a decreased pressure resulting from cavitation created by a moving member is utilized to produce the pumping action.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a pump embodying a member immersed in a fluid of one density and mounted for rotation above a critical speed at which cavitation results, and means for connecting the decreased pressure regions formed thereby with a source of fluid of lesser density to be pumped.

More specifically stated, an object of the invention is to provide a pumping device in which a member rotatably disposed in fluid has means thereon for producing, by cavitation, a low pressure region in the fluid during rotation, and

"'II means for efiecting communication of a fluid to be pumped with said low pressure region to 'produce a flow thereof into said region, said parts being so arranged that the rotating member causes a flow of the fluid, in which it issubmerged, effective to remove the pumped fluid from the low pressure region.

In conjunction with the foregoing, another object is to provide a means for separating one fluid from the other and for delivering the fluid, in which the rotatable member is submerged, to said cavitation producing means in its maximum densityn,

Other objects and advantages will become apparent in the following description and from the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal axial section of a device embodying the features of the, invention.

Fig. 2 is a transverse section thereof taken substantially along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Broadly the present invention utilizes the principle ofcavitation to produce a decrease of pressure within a body of fluid which is employed as the pumping force. In its usual sense, the term cavitation is applied to that formation of a regionof decreased pressure produced when an objectmoves at such a velocity or speed through a fluid that the pressure of the region behind the object is reduced below that amount which would preserve the natural flow of fluid to said region. In creating and using this force for pumping purposes, the invention in one preferred serving as the closure for the open face.

form embodies a member journalled for rotation within a body of fluid which member has a plurality of cavitation producing projections thereon to create, in operation, regions of reduced: pressure. These regions are placed in communication, by conduits, with a source of fluid to be pumped so that the decreased pressure causes a flow from the source into said body of fluid. The arrangement and disposition of the various pump elements is such that the rotating member produces a flow of .the fluid in which it is submerged past the discharging end of the connecting conduit to removethe mixed fluids therefrom, which fluids are subsequently conducted to a point where natural separation may occur.

The substance, in which the rotating member is submerged, and the pumped substance are herein characterized generically as fluids, but the most efficient operation of the pump occurs when there is a considerable difference in the densities of the fluids. Consequently, the submerging fluid is generally a heavy liquid, and the pumped fluida gas or light liquid.

Referring to the drawing which illustrates, merely for descriptive purposes, a particular form of a device embodying the features of the invention, the reference numeral 10 designates generally a pump casing or housingin the form of an elongated structure having top, bottom'and side walls 11, an open end face 12 and a plurality of transverse partitions 13, 14 and 15 spaced from each other and from the open face. The open face 12 is adapted to be closed by suitable means,

.which, in this instance, is a substantially box-- like member 16 providing spaced transverse walls 17 and 18. The member 16 is suitably aflixed to the housing 10, as by screws 19, with the wall 18 The wall 18, partition 13, and the intermediate portions of the housing walls 11 define a closed, liquid-tight chamber 20. If desired, the upper or top wall may be separately formed adjacent the chamber 20, as at 21, to provide a cover permitting access into the interior of said chamber..

The walls 17 and 18, and the partitions 13, 14 and 15, are provided with alined apertures to receive a shaft 22, one end of which terminates at the partition 15 at one end of the housing and the other end of whichextends beyond the wall 17 to receive a driving pulley 23 or its equivalent. Suitable bearings 24 in the wall 17 and partition 14 rotatably support the shaft 22 and any wellknown type of device, such as the'packing glands 25 on the walls 18 and partitions 13 and 15, prevent leakage along the shaft. 110

The means by which cavitation is produced comprises, in the preferred form thereof, a member 26 rigidly carried upon the shaft 22 within the chamber 20. The member 26 is, in this instance, in the shape of a disk and its preferred disposition locates it at one side of the chamber and at such a distance from the top that a quantity of the heavier liquid (designated A), sufficient to completely immerse or submerge the member 26, may be contained in the chamber. The disk carries a plurality of elements 27, which may be termed cavitators, arranged to produce, in their passage through the liquid A as the disk rotates,

a considerable turbulence in the liquid. While any desired number of the cavitators 27 may be employed, only two, arranged for balance in diametrically opposed relation, are herein shown. In this instance, these cavitators comprise small flat plates projecting from the side of the disk near the periphery thereof and arranged to present substantially flat faces opposite the direction of rotation of the disk.

In consequence of this arrangement of parts, as the disk 26 rotates above a certain speed (which speed will depend variously upon the density of the liquid A, the diameter of the disk 26 and the area of the rear faces of the cavitators 2'7), the fluidpressure behind the cavitators 27 is reduced below the amount which would preserve the natural flow of water to the space behind the cavitators. Hence, regions of reduced or diminished pressure are created which may be said to follow the cavitators in their movement through the liquid. Such regions are roughly indicated by the dot and dash lines designated B (Fig. 2) although the true shape, size and extent thereof are not, at

the present time, known.

Means is provided for establishing permanent communication of these regions of reduced pressure with a source of fluid to be pumped. Thus, radial bores 28 extend from the center of the disk 26 and terminate at ports 29 immediately adjacent those sides of the cavitators 2'7 which face rearwardly when the cavitators are rotated. In other words, as shown in Fig. 2, these ports 29 are located on the clockwise sides of the cavitators when rotation of the disk is counterclockwise. The shaft 22, intermediate the disk 26 and one end thereof, in this instance the end terminating at the partition 15, is tubular as at 30 and communicates with the radial bores 28. The outer end of the tubular portion constitutes an inlet to the pump housing.

Any well-known type of connection may be employed to establish communication of the pump with a source of fluid to be pumped (not shown) such, for example, as a plate 31 arranged to be secured in abutting relation to the partition 15, and having a screw-threaded aperture 32 therein, registering with the tubular shaft, to receive a. conduit 33 leading to said source of fluid. Obviously, if a pump with a double inlet is required, the shaft 22 may be tubular throughout.

In the operation of the pump, the rotation of .the disk causes the cavitators to create the folto be operated upon, so that the decreased pressure will more readily cause a flow of the lighter parts in such manner that the flow of the water A radially of the disk 26, which flow is probably caused by the skin-friction of the water against the surface of the rotatins disk, crosses the line of movement of the ports 29 and carries the discharging iiuid away from the cavitators.

The device includes means for directing the flow induced by the rotating disk to a point where natural separation of the mixed fluids may occur and for subsequently directing the freed and heavier fluid-A to the cavitators. To this end, a partition 34 is mounted to extend transversely oi the chamber 20 adjacent the side of the disk on which the cavitators 27 are mounted. The top oi the level of the fluid A. The partition has a central aperture 35 which, in diameter, is slightly less than the diameter of the circle defined by the cavitators during the rotation thereof. A conduit 36 of substantial size is suitably secured, at one end, to the partition to communicate with the aperture 35. The other end of the conduit is positioned adjacent to the bottom of the chamber 20 on the side of the partition opposite the disk. As a result of this arrangement of parts, the partition 34 directs the induced flow toward the top of the chamber where natural separation of the air from the liquid may occur. After separation,

the flow conducts the heavier liquid over the partition 34 and thence toward the bottom of the chamber where it enters the conduit 36 and passes to the rotating disk. It will be seen, therefore, that only the fluid of greatest density will be engaged by the cavitators, thereby insuring that the ,120

device will operate at maximum efliciency.

Preferably, the top section 21 is arranged to- -permit the pumped and separated fluid to discharge from the device. In this embodiment, the

- liability of breakage, while the general arrangement eliminates the necessity of accurate finishing and assembly of parts in manufacture. All of these features result in an improved device of sturdy construction and eflicient operation capable of being manufactured and sold at a low cost.

I claim as my invention: 1. In a pumping device, the combination of a housing having an inlet and arranged to hold a,

quantity of fluid of greater density than the fluid to be pumped, a cavitation producing device journalled in said housing for submerged rotation in said fluid to produce regions of low pressure in said fluid adjacent to the surface of said device, means including 'ports opening into said regions for connecting said regions with said inlet, and means for driving said device at a speed which creates a flow of fluid of comparatively less said lighter fluid from the cavitation producing means.

2. In a pumping device, the combination of a housing having an inlet and arranged to hold a quantity of fluid of greater density than the fluid to be pumped, a cavitation producing device journalled in said housing for submerged rotation in said fluid to produce regions of low pressure in said fluid adjacent to the surface of said device,

means including ports opening into said regions for connecting said regions with said inlet, means for driving said device at a speed which creates a flow of fluid of comparatively less density through said ports and at the same time produces by the action of the rotating device in the heavier fluid a flow of the heavier fluid radially along the surface of the device to remove said lighter fluid from the cavitation producing means, and means in said housing for guiding the induced flow of the fluids to a point where separation of the fluids may occur and subsequently directing the heavier fluid against the cavitation producing means.

3. In a pumping device, the combination of a housing having an inlet and arranged to hold quantity of fluid of greater density than the fluid to be pumped, a cavitation producing device journalled in said housing for submerged rotation in said fluid to produce regions of low pressure in said fluid adjacent to the surface of said device, means including ports opening into said regions for connecting said regions with said inlet, means for driving said device at a speed which creates a flow of fluid of comparatively less density through said ports and at the same time produces by the friction between the heavier fluid and the rotating device a flow of fluid radially along the surface of the device to remove said lighter fluid from the cavitation producing means, and guide means in said housing arranged to direct only the fluid of greatest density against the cavitation producing means. 4. In a pumping device, the combination of a housing having an inlet and arranged to hold a quantity of fluid of greater density than the fluid to be pumped, a disk-like member journaled in said housing for submerged rotation in said fluid and having cavitation producing means thereon for developing regions of low pressure in said fluid adjacent to a side face of said member upon rotation thereof, above a critical speed, passageways opening into said regions and communicating with said inlet, and. means for rotating said member to create a flow of fluid to be pumped through said passageways into the low pressure regions and to produce by the action of the skin friction between the rotating disk-like member and the submerging fluid a generally radial flow of the submerging fluid along said side face past said low pressure regions.

HOWARD W. PARKER. 

